Rotatable slide valve assembly



June 10, 1952 T. FAWICK 2,600,102

ROTATABLE SLIDE VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed 001;. s, 1946 a Sheets-Sheet 1 THOMAS L. FAWICK INVENTOR.

ATTORNEY June 10, 1952 w K 2,600,102

ROTATABLE SLIDE VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 5, 1946 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. THOMAS L, FAWICK ATTORNEY June 10, 1952 T. FAWICK 2,600,102

ROTATABLE SLIDE VALVE ASSEMBLY Filed Oct. 3, 1946 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 o (J O C) Fig 5 THOMAS L. FAWICK INVENTOR.

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ATTORNEY Patented June 10, 1952 UNITED Thomas L. Fawick, Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to The swick A r sx mpa y I s-1 a herma- Application October 3, 1946, Serial No. 709,914

2Q aim 1 Th s i n i n e es to Ysl-v-es ad pted for char ing an n n a ots hu shethe while it is ro at ng, a m he ase oi s hhs imst s tits o a fluid-actu ed clu h bra ehi t b t 9 r v d ah im re sd al assem l for hat ur se: t hrs id a al e ss mbl om r s n nshzmt tih sea in rin s ich w n be r uired to, bea with i pr sur a ai st a rotary mem e xcep uch m s as h r sur i the. n ain r is being increased or diminished, "and thus to avoid a i Wear n u of such in s; to. p ovide a val-Ye ass mbl of h s t e equ r n a space o n y moderat en h alon the axi of he asseme his; to pr i e dy mishsla c w thout coun e als ine o th tar parts of the val e a sembly; and to provide simplicity and economy of construction, assembly and repair.

Of the accompanying drawings:

Fig. -1 is a Yertical axial section of the preferred embodiment of my invention as applied to a clutch mechanism connecting the flywheel of a motor with the crank-shaft of an air-compressor.

"Fig. 2 a similar section of a modification;

Fig. 3 is a cross-section'of a control alve, on line 3-53 of Fig. 4.

"Fig. 4 is a section on line AB-C of Fig. 3.

Fig. 5 is a Vertical axial section of another modification, Referring to the drawings, the assembly shown in Fig.1 comprises the fly-wheel 1-0 of a motor, hollowed out to provide a cylindrical inner frictional-engagement face I I adapted to. be engaged by a clutch bag l2 upon the distending of the bagby internal fluid pressure, the bag being mounted upon a olutchehub 30 secured upon one .endcof the Jco'unterweighted crank-shaft i3 of'an air compressor. The'bag' has communication, througha series of conduits as shown, "with a circumferentially spaced set of radial holes it, I 4 extending inward, 'to a central bore," from the cylindrical outer surface of the" shaft 13'.

Mounted upon the shaft l3 vandItliereiwith defining an annular piston-chamber is a bellshaped cylinder member l5 held with the radially inner margin of the inner face of its end-wall abuttin a snap ring .lfi'fm'ounted in an annular groove formed in the shaft. The member (15 is so held by'a resilient ring l1, preferably of an oil-resistant synthetic rubber, "the ring being pinched between the radially inner margin of the outer face of the end wallof thernernber iE and a shculder formed on shatt, and preferably with such pressure asio compel the cylinder ha e 1-5 ts lsts hithss s at a t m throughoutits'rang'of axial movement. M W

This pistonstructure comprises a bell-shaped metal member if} hailing in in mi cal inner f'aee'of its'end-wall adep annular 'gro l9 which is in communication'with 'a' circiim eren tiallyspaced set of exhaust passages asi'the passage which extend ly. the annular end face of'the member iii and ae ther" registry respectivel'yv with holes formed in an lar end plate 2 l secured to the'end of the member it y is h q scr ws su h the 2 the memb r 3! sIs ehsve h ste hsrihs a suitihg idit 2. his she The metal piston member shd. 2 shhs an a nula ch mbe sur oun ing the" heft? h, in t ambe ar moun ed hair q t sh stsslv ueshspsd l n in 2,3 2. held in hat seat y a lid bly mount metal n 4, @921 9,? es rings being dapte ts sea a ains theshs an ss h h cyl n r a in er ace hi the memb '8 o at t ey e ve as a rap-hal e tQ-maihtain the pressure in the container l2 when the piston truc u e i in ch posi io that he are at p sit s des o t e adia o es 4 in the shaft Mounted upon the outer face of the end-wall of the bell-shaped piston member 18 is a \transversely u-shap d sealing ring slidably'sealing against the. outer face of theshaft and the inner face of the cylinder member. 1:5,. 'I-Yhesealihg lips of the ring 25, to hold them close to the metal I members and to prevent the inner lip from bein unduly distorted at times when there is preponderance of pressure in the radial passages 14 :and the i g s at thatms t Qn a e ackedsby a tran versely U-shaped metal member 216i which, with th ea i g ring, is se ured t t -end iace of t e pi on m mbe it! by c ews 21 2- F'Qr constantl u ging the h s h structure toa d th rishkhshd .a rretra nine position i W i h i is shown a sompte sion c i pring 218, su u d n a o atin with the s aft in? t nq ed b wee a .s amp z eta mf hs s at .29, ted on t e e o the p sto structure, and

a sh ul er fo med on the clutch hub 3.9 on which the has i mounted- .F r c arg n t e i -htzha end of the cy i fi 1'5 nd hu rci s-t e is on structure ieftward, to selective positions determined by the amount of air-pressure developed in the cylinder, in opposition to the force of the spring 28, the cylinder is formed with numerous, inlet-outlet passages such as the two that are shown at 3 l, 3 I, through which the cylinder chamber is in communication with an annular chamber defined by the cylindrical outer surface of the cylinder member I5, an internally flanged housing member 32, and an annular end-plate 33 held in place by a snap-ring 34 mounted in an annular groove formed in the inner face of the housing member 32.

In the said annular chamber a pair of transversely U-shaped, non-rotating sealing rings 35, 35, held in their seats by an apertured metal ring 3?, are interposed between the inner face of the housing member 32 and the outer face of the cylinder member 45, so that the chamber of the cylinder I is in constant closed communication with a coupling socket 35 formed in the wall of the housing member, through which, by suitable means (not shown) the cylinder can be vented, can be charged with air at such high pressure as to force the piston structure to its extreme leftward position, so that it abuts the hub member 38 and the cylinder chamber is in communication with the bag !2, or with air at such lower pressure as to hold the spring 28 in a less compressed condition, with the pistons exhaust ports in communication with the bag, through the groove IQ, for exhausting the bag and thus disengaging the clutch.

Preferably the inner annular lips of the nonrotating sealing rings 35 are at all times urged against the cylindrical outer face of the rotatable cylinder i5 by respective endless coil springs 38, 38, but only lightly, so that they are not quickly worn, being more strongly urged against the cylinder by internal air pressure only during the brief and infrequent times when the bag I2 is being charged or vented.

Suitable provision can be made, inclusive of an oil inlet 39, for lubricating the parts, and the structure as here shown comprises an oil retaining housing or guard member All secured at one end upon the housing member 32 by means of screws such as the screw 4|, with an oil seal 42 interposed between its other end and the hub member 33.

In the operation of the slide-valve mechanism to engage the clutch, hold it engaged, and then disengage it, assuming the parts to be in the positions in which they are shown, but without distending pressure in the bag 12.

Air at full pressure is conducted into the cylinder l5, which forces the piston structure leftward until it is stopped by the hub member 30, thus opening communication from the cylinder l5 to the bag 12, through the radial passages 14 in the shaft.

Thus the bag l2 becomes fully charged and the clutch is engaged.

The cylinder I5 is then quickly vented to the atmosphere, through the numerous passages 3|, which permits the spring 23 to move the piston structure quickly back to its farthest right-hand position, in which the rotating sealing rings 23 straddle the radial passages l4 and thus trap the high-pressure air in the bag 12. The radial passages l-l in the shaft preferably are of small dimension lengthwise of the shaft, and preferably are of less aggregate flow capacity than that of the numerous passages 3i through the wall of the cylinder, so that very little air escapes from the bag as the piston structure makes this quick movement to the right.

The shaft [3 then continues to be driven from the member ID for such time as may be desired, with the sealing rings 23, 23 and 25 rotating with the shaft and consequently not being worn, and with the non-rotating sealing rings 35, bear ing only lightly, if at all, against the rotating cylinder I5, and thus not being subjected to substantial wear.

When the clutch is to be disengaged, air is admitted to the cylinder l5 as such pressure as to compress the spring 28 only to such extent that the vetn groove I9 is registered with the shafts radial passages 14, and thus the bag I2 is vented to the atmosphere, after which the cylinder is vented to the atmosphere and, with only atmospheric pressure in the bag, the spring 28 is permitted to move the piston structure again to its right-hand position.

While the non-rotating sealing rings 35 are in engagement with the cylinder i5 at a greater radius than that of the engagement of the rotating sealing rings 23 with the shaft, the latter rings, while the clutch is engaged, are strong ly urged against the shaft by the trapped air, whereas the non-rotating rings 35 are urged toward the cylinder only lightly by the endless springs 38, wherefore additional provision for compelling the cylinder l5 to rotate with the shaft is not indispensible.

The construction as shown and described provides the advantages that are set out in the above statement of objects and various modifications are possible without sacrifice of all of those advantages and without departure from the scope of the appended claims.

One such modification is shown in Fig. 2, in which a shaft 42 is formed with an axial bore 33 communicating with a circumferentially spaced set of radial holes 43, C 3 opening on the cylindrical outer surface of the shaft.

Surrounding said surface is a double-action cylinder 45 which preferably is compelled to rotate with the shaft by keys 45, 46 and which at both of its ends is sealed to the shaft as by sealing rings 41, t1 backed by respective snap rings 48, 48.

Mounted in the cylinder is a two-way piston and valve structure 49, having lip-sealing rings 45a, 45a at its ends. The piston acts as a slide valve in relation to the radial holes M, having a pair of lip-sealing rings 45b, 4511 which in the rightward position of the structure close off the holes 44 against escape of air, with the entrapped air pressing the lips firmly against the shaft and thus resisting dislodgement of the structure from that position. The piston structure can be provided with a ball detent and the inner face of the cylinder formed with a dimple 5| therefor, to augment such resistance if considered desirable.

The leftward position of the slide-Valve-piston structure is such as to put the right-hand end of the cylinder chamber in direct communication with the radial holes 44.

The two ends of said chamber have communication, through respective sets of holes through the cylinder wall, such as the holes 52 and 53, with respective axially spaced-apart annular zones of the outer face of the cylinder and each of those zones is continuously straddled by a pair of non-rotating lip-sealing rings, shown at 52a, 52a and at 53a, 53a respectively.

The space between the rings 52a is in closed communication, through ..a..nipe L, and thesna fi between the rings 53a is in closed: communication, through a :pipe with .a. sin lefloomt l ll valve X having a supply :pipe S leading .iirom 1% source of pressure fluid.

The control valve Fig. :2, :loqmprises a W tt-Q casing 54, Figs... 394ml 4, and ate-pelted valve-pin 55 therein havin a laree inlet port $5.61 i s side race, equal in arouate len th to. two step movements of the plug, this lar e portlead o to a central chamber- -51: :from which two hitably s aced assa es. to and. '55 lead den 7 1.7 96 to a lower level at which, the p pes, and. B are coupled to the valve casin and th n o Ward :to, the face. of :the plus, the spacin b in i position of; the plugshoiv in full lines in Fig- 3,

ow le e o vent pas age as will be :registereci with pine L and vent passage will be lfiigiste red with pipe R, with the supply of pressure fluid shut off by the plugas thereshown.

The construction, as is clearly shown in Figs.

3 and 4, is such that in a succession of three step movements of the plug clockwise from the neutral or starting- ;position shown in Fig. 3, followed by three step movements counterclockwise back to starting position, the following i sequence will occur in each full cycle of opera tion:

1. Starting position, R and L vented, clutch disengaged;

2. End of first movement, R charged and L a The first return movement, putting the plug back to position '3, is non-functional but is a harmless incident of the arrangement for forward movement for engaging the clutch and return movement for disengaging it, which pro.- vides simple, small are, forward and back operation of the control handle.

While the forward movement and the reverse movement have been treated, for clarity, as each consisting of a. series of step -rnovem-ents, in actualpractice a single forward movement from position 1 to position 4 engages the clutch and relieves the rings 52a, 53a, and a single return movement from position 4 to position '1 disenages-the clutch, relieves the rings shuts-off the pressure-fluid supply.

For quick movement of the slide-valve to the air-trapping position (second par-t of the clutch setting movement-f theplug, to position 3-), so that there will be but little escape-of air through the pipe R, provision .may be ,made 'for charging the pipe L a little before the pipe FR is vented,

6 as. by remains the el-us with a lateral ext nsion 58a of the m uth of the nassaee 58;.

Fi v shows another embodiment. of. the invention its broader aspect. The as embly there shown comprises a shaft h ving. an axi l passa e. 1:! communicatin throu h radia passa es 1 1 the outer face of the shaft.

A slide-valve 5.315.1I1Olfi1t8d on. the shaft for covering and uncove in the holes 12 and this slide valve is contained in an annular chamber which -d.. ine.cl by the haft. a non-rotatin h l ow annular member 5 end; a. non-rotatin nines-er mem er it noon the member- 14.

iey inder memb It has miedle av ty whi h isin commu ca n w th te or i to em r 4-. l th an slidab mounte th calms-lee a si eo he a ts 6 s a .elaase trreriste ll e l-ranted to be o c d .leitwam r by a mitted o th r eh hand end o t altimet r a sor 8 one to. sorted i the op osi e dues en air admitted-to the leitehfilld end of thecylinder hrou h a port ,9-

A shifter arm 801s mounted noon the piston 17 and extends at righteangles. thererrom into an annula emote the ou er; iaee o the "Slide valve 13 01 efieoting axial .moyexnent of th alv hi e t i o s not r tati s w t the shaft 1- The slide. valve 13 hasazgasl et ltlawhifih seals against he hah t and. a ways. r t s hen theshaf i otatinsrs that t s n su iect d to rapi Wear.

The mem r 4 is provided w h as ts 4a a d 1412 wh c a e. pr ssed by the ai pre sur aga nst r tatin members onl during the short times whenair is being forced into the shaft hat the als a e not ubjected t I d Wear- The piston 11 .coacts as a slide valve with the nder m mbe I .forch sine and ventin t chamber within the member i proper sequence with relation to-i s m vin th slide valve .13.f.o.r opening and cleans h rad a p ts 2, for charging and venting the shaft 15;, and the piston .11 coaotsas as de val e vvit t e ind member 15101 exhausting the ohamher Within the member 14, through the exhaustnort & an t us re ievin the sea ing rin s leased wh the slide valve .13 is in nort=closing posit; n for trashing t e air in the sham The ports ior such sliolewalve action are an inletand o let p rt 8,! in the ovliner Wall, a xh us o it? xial-1y s a ed th refrom ena the piston, radia ports .83 it as d suitably seas of th Fist n with relat en to th ndern rte an .3 oi the crlinsier casin throu h which the piston extends into the 'la'tters middle cavity T5.

The spacing is. that the o eratio of the assemhlyis as io ows The ports ormalin the pos t-i ns n which they are sho n and the sha t 1& s:atta nin a atmosphe c pressu e, the rad a passa es -12 are open d b a mitt n i lbvwayof ea, 5.5 and it.

While thepresstnle is :still 1811 the piston fit'i is returned to its leftward position by air admitted through the :port '18, which traps :the .air -:in the shaft and immediately thereafter relieves the and the wall to 7 sealing rings Ha, 141) by exhausting the chamber 16 through the ports 85 and 82.

For relieving the pressure in the shaft Ed, the piston is moved to its rightward position, as for charging, but the port 8! is now used as an exhaust for air entering the piston through the ports 84 and 85, after which,.if desired, the piston can be returned to its leftward position, with only atmospheric pressure in the shaft.

I claim:

1. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, the axis of rotation being the axis of its cylindrical outer face, an annular slide valve structure mounted on, surrounding and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, non-rotating means for moving said valve structure on said surface for opening and closing said passage during rotation of said member and said valve, and means inclusive of rotativ and nonrotative members defining a conduit for forcing fluid through said passage into the first said member when said passage is not closed by the slide valve structure.

2. A valve assembly comprising a rotary mem ber formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, the axis of its rotation being the axis of its cylindrical outer face, an annular slide valve structure mounted on, surrounding and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, nonrotating means for moving said valve structure on said surface for opening and closing said passage during rotation of said member and said valve, means inclusive of rotative and non-rotative members defining a conduit for forcing fluid through said passage into the first said member when said passage is not closed by the slide valve structure, and means for temporarily effecting a seal between said rotative and non-rotative members at such times.

3. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, the axis of its rotation being the axis of its cylindrical outer face, an annular slide valve structure mounted on, surrounding and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, nonrotating means for moving said valve structure on said surface for opening and closing said passage during rotation of said member and said valve, means inclusive of rotative and non-rotative members defining a conduit for forcing fluid through said passage into the first said member when said passage is not closed by the slide valve structure, and lip-sealing means for effecting a seal between said rotative and non-rotative members.

4. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a fluid-pressur cylinder surrounding and rotatable with said member, and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, a slide valve structure mounted in said chamber as anannular piston for opening and closing said passage, means inclusive of non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to one end of said chamber during rotation of said member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-piston structure in one direction, and means for moving it in the other direction during such rotation.

5. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a fluid-pressure cylinder surrounding and rotatable with said member, and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, a slide valve structure mounted in said chamber as an annular piston for opening and closing said passage, means inclusive of non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to one end of said chamber during rotation of said member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-piston structure in one direction, and means rotating with the member and cylinder for moving it in the other direction during such rotation.

6. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a fluid-pressure cylinder surrounding and rotatable with said member, and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, a slide valve structure mounted in said chamber as an annular piston for opening and closing said passage, means inclusive of non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to one end of said chamber during rotation of said member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-piston structure in one direction, and a return spring rotating with the member and cylinder for moving it in the other direction during such rotation.

7. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a slide valve structure mounted on and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, and means for moving said valve structure on said surface for opening and closing said passage during rotation of said member and said valve, said slide valve structure being formed with passages for putting the aforementioned passage in communication selectively with a source of pressure fluid and with the atmosphere.

8. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a fluid-pressure cylinder surrounding and rotatable with said member and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, a slide valve structure mounted in said chamber as an annular piston for opening and closing said passage, means inclusive of non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to one end of said chamber during rotation of said member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-piston structure in one direction, and means for moving it in the other direction during such rotation, said slide-valvepiston structure being movable to a position such as to put said end of said chamber in direct communication with said passage.

9. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a slide valve structure mounted on and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, and means for moving said valve structure on said surface for opening and closing said passage during rotation of said member and said valve, the assembly including a non-rotating structure surrounding said slide valve structure and therewith defining an annular fluid-conducting chamber.

10. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a fluid-pressure cylinder surrounding and rotatable with said member, and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, a slide valve structure gas-ms mounted in said chamber" as anannulanpiston for opening and closing said passage; means inclusive of non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure flu-id to one-end of said'chamber during rotation ofsa'id' member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-pistonstructure in one direction, and a return spring rotating with the member and cylinder for moving it in the other direction during such rotation, the slide-valvepiston structure being formed with a passage extending from the atmosphere and registerable with the first mentionedpas'sage.

11. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward. therefrom, a slide valve structure mounted on and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, and means for moving said valve structure on said surface for opening and closing said passage during rotation of said member and said valve, said slide valve structure including means which with said cylindrical surface define an annular chamber and, mounted in said chamber, deformable sealing means rotatabl with said member and comprising sealing lips positionable in straddling relation to said passage.

12. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fiuid passage extending inward therefrom, a

double-action fluid-pressure cylinder surrounding 3 and rotatable with said member, and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, a slide valve structure mounted in said chamber as a two-way annular piston for opening and closing said passage, non-rotating conducting means for 1;

supplying pressure fluid to one end of said chamber during rotation of said member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-piston structure in one direction, and non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to the other end of said chamber to move said structure in the other direction during such rotation.

13. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a double-action fluid-pressure cylinder surrounding and rotatable with said member, and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, slide-valve structure mounted in said chamber as a two-way annular piston for opening and closing said passage, non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to one end of said chamber during rotation of said member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-piston structure in one direction, non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to the other end of said chamber to move said structure in the other direction during such rotation, and a single control valve interposed operatively between the two said conducting means, in selective relation thereto, and a single source of pressure fluid, the control valve also having venting means, and being so constructed as to provide, in each cycle, a sequence inclusive of the following, in order, R representing one end of the cylinder chamber and L the other:

R and L vented; R charged and L vented; R vented and L charged; R and L vented; R charged and L vented; R and L vented.

1 A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a double-action fluid-pressure cylinder surrounding and rotatable with said member, and with said surface defining an annular piston chamber, a slide valve structure mounted in said chamber as a two-way annular piston for openingand closing said passage, non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to one end of said chamber during rotation of said member and cylinder, to move said slide-valve-piston structure in one direction, and non-rotating conducting means for supplying pressure fluid to the other end of said chamber to move said structure in the other 'di rection-during such rotation, each of said conducting means comprising a pair of non-rotating annular seals coacting with the other face of the cylinder, and the two ends of the cylinder having communication respectively with the spaces between the two pair of seals.

15. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a slide valve structure mounted on and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, and means including a non-rotating mechanical shifter for moving said valve structure on said surface for opening and closing said passage during rotation of said member and said valve.

16. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a slide valve structure mounted on and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, a non-rotating cylinder and piston assembly, and a mechanical shifter actuated by said assembly for shifting the slide valve.

17. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a slide valve structure mounted on and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, a non-rotating cylinder and piston assembly, and a mechanical shifter actuated by said assembly for shifting the slide valve, the combination including non-rotating means which with said cylinder and piston assembly and. said. rotary member define an annular chamber surrounding said slide valve structure and said rotary member, and the piston and cylinder being formed with registerable ports for changing the fluid pressure in said chamber.

18. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member formed with a cylindrical outer surface and a fluid passage extending inward therefrom, a slide valve structure mounted on and rotatable with said surface for opening and closing said passage, 2. non-rotating cylinder and piston assembly, and a mechanical shifter actuated by said assembly for shifting the slide valve, the combination including non-rotating means which with said cylinder and piston assembly and said rotary member define an annular chamber surrounding at least one end of said slide valve structure. and the piston and cylinder being formed with registerable ports for changing the fluid pressure in said chamber.

19. A valve assembly comprising a rotary member having a cylindrical outer face concentric with its axis of rotation and formed with a fluid passage extending inward from said face, nonrotative means which with said face defines an annular chamber surrounding said member, nonrotative means for charging and venting said member, a slide valve in said chamber for closing and opening said passage by moving axially of the member, and non-rotative means for so moving said slide valve.

20. A valve assembly comprising a rotary memher having a cylindrical outer face concentric.

with its axis of rotation and formed with a fluid passage extending inward from said face, non-rotative means which with said face defines an annular chamber surrounding said member, non-rotative means for charging and venting said chamher, a slide valve in said chamber for closing and opening said passage by moving axially of the member, and non-rotative means for so moving said slide valve, the slide valve being annular and having self-energizing sealing means for efi'ecting annular seals against the rotary member at each side of the said passage.

THOMAS L. FAWICK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,242,184 Renter May 13, 1941 2,258,094 Keller Oct. 7, 1941 2,310,309 Orr Feb. 9, 1943 2,354,174 Schmitter July 18, 1944 2,354,791 Boldt Aug. 1, 1944 2,485,692 Brill Oct. 25, 1949 

